Mike Ware can proudly walk through the halls at Gateway, knowing his name will be high above him on the walls.
The senior sprinter added himself to the school’s track & field record board twice this season as he’s broke Gateway standards in the 200 and 400 meters and could better them at the Class 5A state track meet.
Not even a state qualifier last season, Ware has made huge strides and is a threat to win both events on the big stage when the three-day meet opens Thursday at Jefferson County Stadium.
“I’m happy with the progress I’ve made from last year and I’m happy to represent my school, which isn’t known for track,” Ware said.
“Hopefully me being a leader and succeeding will make other people want to come out for track.”
It would be hard for anyone from the school to ignore what Ware’s done this season.
Bumped out of the 5A state track meet completely last season by the results of league championship meets just before state, Ware made sure he was at the head of the pack this time. Gateway’s only individual state qualifier, he is poised to score the Olys some points.
Ware’s times at the prestigious Liberty Bell Invitational April 24-25 — 21.24 seconds in the 200 meters and 48.25 in the 400 — ranked first in the state regardless of classification according to Coloradomilesplit.com. Fountain-Fort Carson’s Duane McClurkin edged Ware’s 400 time with a 47.97 at the Colorado Springs Metro League meet, but Ware has run in the 47s unofficially on Gateway’s 4×400 meter relay team, which also is going to state.
Ware swept both events at the EMAC Championship meet May 2, earning MVP honors in the process.
Those marks also put him on the school recordboard, where he bested the times set a whopping 32 years ago by former Gateway star Eric Oglesby.
Gateway coach Marty Wittmer isn’t surprised about Ware’s progress given all the attributes he’s shown. Wittmer believes Ware is only scratching the surface of his potential thus far.
“The sky is the limit for Mike,” Wittmer said. “He has a lot of natural ability, he’s got good commitment, he likes the sport and he’s very coachable. He’s going to be very, very strong in the future.”
Ware is proud of getting to where he has so far, with work during the indoor season helping prime him to take off.
Now, there’s only one thing in front of him, winning a rare running championship for the school, something that hasn’t happened there since the 1990s.
Thrower Zack Golditch won the 5A title in the discus in 2012 and 2013, but the last running title is believed to be a relay in 1995.
“I’ve reached all my goals, now it’s just getting to state and winning,” Ware said.
Ware won’t have to contend with the defending champion in either the 200 or 400, as 2014 winner Cherokee Trail’s Brandon Singleton graduated and now runs at Oklahoma State.
No matter how the end of the season turns out, he also has a college career to look forward to. He signed with Colorado State-Pueblo last week, where he will join former Gateway distance star Devundrick Walker.
The two ran together on the Olys’ 4×400 meter relay team that finished third in the state in Ware’s sophomore season.
Courtney Oakes is Sports Editor of the Aurora Sentinel. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel